Powder-dusting machine



4L. C. STUKENBQRG ET AL POWDER DUS TING- MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed A112.. 13, 1923 April 19,1927.

\ L'. c. sTuKENBoRG ET AL owpER DUsTING MACHINE 4 SheetS-Sheet/Z Filed Aug. 13, 1923 roZd April 19, 1927.

L. C. STUKENBORG ET AL OWDER DUSTING MACHINE Filed Aug. Y13, 1923 1,624,996 Alnl 19 1927 l.. c. sTUKENBoRG ET AL PowDE DUsTING MACHINE l Filed Anm-15, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 191927.

UNITED STATES P'A'rllNfifolFlp-lcfEi` Ntours cAE'EoLL srcUKENBoEe, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND JAMES HAROLDv coorEE, or LoNoxE, ARKANSAS.

POWDER-Duerme MACHINE.

Application led August l1 3, 1923. Serial No. 6757,16?.

This invention relates to improvements in dusting apparatus for the purpose of applying a poisonous powder or insecticide to plants, vines or the like, to killorcheck the '5 growth of insects and other parasites' which are in] urious to thec development of the plant,

its fruit, or both.

The embodiment of the invention'snown has been more particularly `adapted for use l as an apparatus for applying or dusting a poisonous powder such, for instance, as calcium arsenate, on cottonplants to kill or arrest the growth ofboll weevil.

A The invention herein disclosed is an improvement on the invention disclosed in the priorapplication of'` Louis Carroll -Stukenborg, iled'V November 27th, 1922, Serial No. 603,648. The object of the present invention is to further improve a dusting apparatus of this character by means to control the quantity of powder, which makes it possible to use a `minimum quantity of the poisonous powder distributed over agiven area, and thus economize in the use of the powder, and to equalize a even distribution of a predetermined quantity of the powder or substance overa n given area,

the operator, especially when using such a poison powder as calcium arsenate.

The control of the quantity of powder also minimizes the danger of injuring soil fertilityby an overcharge of poison, and'injuring the cotton plant. e v

A further object of the invention is to pro duce, in combination with means for delivering the powder from a hopper to a blast fan, a novel non-clogging feed screw which .isso

constructed and arranged, as hereinafter de-V scribed, as to keep the `screw conveyor'clean and avoid clogging of the powder on Athe feed and measuring screw.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 'ide a novel combination of themeans' by which the powder, vsuitably agitated to lkeep itin a loosely pulv'erized condition, is delivfered to the intake side ofa blast fan by "whichrthej powder is projected through a suitable nozzle on the cotton ,plana-al1 ar- -a time when the latter is moistened,

and also to minimize danger to ranged so that the feed of powder to the fan can be discharged through the nozzle and upon the plant infmeasured charges resembling a tine mist, to be applied to the plant at preferably dew moistened. 4

Another object, f the'invention isto provide a novel form of fan nozzle so arranged that its outlet can be adjusted so as to prof u j ect the powder evenly throughout itslength A e 6o of discharge orifice. t n

Another object ofthe invention is to produce in a machine of this character meansy whereby the feed of the powder to the measuring device, uring device is controlled through connection of said parts with .one of the traction wheels,

`so that the amountot powder feed will be,

proportioned to the4 speed Iof-travelf of the machine, incombination with an. independently operable blast fan for projecting the powder on the plant. 'v

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with` a' blast fan-and the means for feeding the powder thereto. a novel arrangement of the fan blades which operate, after the powder is delivered to the Afan, to further-break up and reduce the mesh of the powder.

Other objects ofthe invention are to further improve and simplify 'general characterv and tomachines of this provide a simple vehicle to carry the same, and the inventlon consists in the-combination and arrangement of the parts shown in the drawings and described in the specification, out in the appended claims.

In the drawings illustrating one embodi- I ment of our invention:

Figure4 1 is a side view of the machine. Figure 2 -is a plan'view'thereof. Y Figure 3 is a part vertical section and elevation vshowing the 'powder Y i device and the measured feed device in. section. l Figure l.1Q-iso a fragmentary section taken on the line 4,--4'of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-'5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 1s a section of the blast fan inthe plane pf he axis of rotation of the blades.

and is pointed and theoperation of the measf hopper crushing.

uring device.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the conveyorof the non-clogging feed and measuring device showing fragments of its mounting.

10-10 of Figure 8.

Figure l1 is a cross section on the llne 11-11 of Figure 8.

We will first describe the construction of the machine and its elements, and thereafter set forth the operation of the machine and the advantages accruing from said construction.

The mechanism of the dusting machine is herein shown as mounted on a simple form of vehicle consisting of al platform 15, supported on traction wheels 16, 17 which are rotatively mountedon an axle that is carried by the lower ends of standards 18, which depend from and are fixed to the platform 15, and are braced from the ends ofthe platform by brace members19, 20, connectedto cross Vback and front sills 21, 21. The machine shown is a horse drawn machine and is provided w'ith a tongue 22 and with a driver seat 23. l

rllhc powder to be distributed is stored in a hopper which is suitably supported on the, platform 15 and discharges in ay crushing compartment 26 just below the discharge end of the hopper, and 27 isf' an agitator which comprises a pluralit of"y pins 28 projected from a shaft 29l t at is r'otatively mounted in bearings carried by opposite walls of Said compartment.

Located below said agitator compartment' is a feed chamber 30 Whose axis, asherein shown, is parallel tothe axis of the agitator shaft 29. Within said feed chamber is a spiral feed screw designated as a whole by 31 in Figures 3, 4, 9 and' 11 and illustrated' more in detail in Figures 8, 9 and 10, to be hereinafter described. 32 designates a blast fan suitably mounted on the platform 15 at one side `of the hopper, crushing chamber and feed chamber. It has a tangential outlet 34 which is connected to a' spray or distributing nozzle 35, hereinafter to be more f ully described. The fan has a central intake which is connected by the pipe 36 with a perforated conduit 37 that is below and connects with the feed chamber 30 through a gravityrfeed opening 38, best shown in Fign're 3. Said fan is operated through a belt connection to a suitable motor 39, which may be an electric motor, gas motor, or the like, the belt 40 of said motor being trained v.over a pully on the motor shaft, and a smallerfpulley 41 on the fan shaft. which latter is mounted in suitable bearings 42.

43 designates 'a counter shaft `which is mounted in suitable bearings 44, 44, supported on the platform 15, and is shown as located below thenon-clogging feed screw 31 and between it and the driver seat. Said countershaft is connected by a sprocket belt 45 with a sprocket pulley 46 on said countershaft and to a sprocket pulley 47 which is fixed to and rotates with the Figure 10 is a cross section on` the l-rne agitator shaft 29. The countershaft is also connected by a sprocket belt 50 through a sprocket pulley 51 on said shaft, and a sprocket pulley 52 onI theyrotative part of the feed screw 31, the constructi n of which latter is hereinafter described.

The countershaft 43 is driven from the tractionwheel 17 through the medium of a sprocketI or other drive chain 53 which is trained about a sprocket ring 54 mounted concent-rically on and turning with the vtraction wheel 17, and a smaller sprocket wheel 55 that is fixed to a sleeve 56. that is slidable on an extension 57 of the c'ountershaft, and is adapted to be locked to and released fro-m said countershaft through the medium lof a clutch, designated asxa whole by 58, comprising clutch members on an enlarged part of the sleeve 56, and an enlarged sleeved part on countershaft 43. A spring 59 normally holds the clutch elements in driving engagement, and saidv clutch elements areA adapted to be forced apart'by a clutch shifterlever 60, which is pivoted on a standard 61 rising from the platform and is loosely connectedto the clutch element sleeve 56,

laterally exterior to the sprocket wheel 55, A

asbest shown'in Figures 2 and3.

From what has been said and without going into specific details of the mechanisms referred to, it will be noted that the agitator 27 and the feed screw 31 are operated directly from the countershaft 43 which, in turn, is driven from one of the tractor wheels 17, asl before described, and that the blast fan or` blower is driven from separate power through the motor 39. Therefore, the amount of powder fed to the central intake of the fan will .depend upon the speed of `travel of the machine and the gear ratios between the sprocket ring 54'and the gears rconnecting the. sprocketchain 53 to the countershaft and the 'countershaft to .the working elements ofthe agitator and the feed screw.

The theory of delivering the powder centrally to the fan 33, and discharging it through the tangenial outlet 34 is the same as in the construction shown in the aforesaid prior `Stukenborg application in that the powder will be thus further Vbroken up in its passage through lthe fan to the nozzle 35. In the present construction, however. and as most clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7, the fan is of specialQconstruction. It embracesjn addition to its casing 331, a. series rotation of' the. back plate.y

serves as a moving shield to pre- .vent accumulation of the powder onf the fan v69 is two fold. 'element -which suddenly arrests the parof blades 65, which are. made integral with a solid back plate 66 which has a central hub 67 that is fixed to the fan 'shaft and is located on the side ofthe casing 331 remote from the central inta-ke wardsthe4 side of the 'casing' in,which is formed thel central intake, and to which is connected the tube 36, and are free at their side edges adjacent lto the wall in which is formed said central intake; and the edges ,of said blades adjacent to their turning axis are inclined from the hub 67 o utwardly so as to provide a free inlet for the powder to the fan casing,-,the vopposite edges of the blades being, preferably, generally parallel to the axis of rotation of its blades. The spiral of the blades-may be made to suit the 'convenience ofthe designer and as found best i`n practice. The function of back plate First, it serves as an impact ticles of dust by direct action and crushes them due to impact; and this pulverizing i action is improved by reason of the fact that the impactI element is rotating so that when struck -by particles or lumps in the powder by direct impact, there are two forces serve to break' up `,the powder, one a direct impact force and the other a' swiping force acting at an'angle thereto, due to the rapid Second, the back plate casing back wall which would occur if the moving fan structure were open entirely through to the back wall. 0This latter condition would set up a compacting of the owder against the fixed or stationary back wall with vthe result of obstructing the fiowv of powder through the fan producing an irregular outlet flow therefrom arid setting up a condition which would ultimately stop the fan.- These conditions of pulverizing and maintaining the powder in a free state yof suspension so that it will be directed uniformly to and through the outlet of the fan vare further assisted by the swirl set up by spreads in the usual blade actionv of the fan. The extent of this swiping force will dependupon the distance from the center of back plate at'which theXpowder strikes Said plat/e", and this can be controlled by the velocity. of air andpowde flowthroughthe fan and the radial rotaliin of back plate centertothe fan intake. f o

The discharge nozzle 35 vis offfan shape as viewed from above. It is formed with an intake end whichu is, preferably, tachably and telescopically secured to' the outlet 34:` of the fan. The said nozzle both-directionsirom the axis of its smaller end, 'as shown in Figure 2, and is made gradually shollower towards its discharge orifice 71 which, as herein'shown, ex-

33? of said fan ca'sl 65 are directed.to

" fixed thereto,

which i tends horizontally principally across the rear end of the platform or Aframe 15 Preferably, the nozzle is of decreasing depth from its inner to its outer end, as shown in Figure 1, so that the discharge orifice 71 becomes a rather narrow slit, as indicated in Figures 1 and 5. The nozzleis supported on a bracket rising from the rear end of the plat-form or frame 15, said bracket including upright standards 72, 72 and a cross bar of the nozzle extends slightly beyond the cross bar 7 3 and can be riveted or otherwise as shown in Figure 5. The joint between the inner end 7() 'of' said nozzle and the, fan outlet permit a substantialvertical adjustment of the Outer or rear end of the nozzle. This adjustment may be afforded by providing the standards 72 with openings 74, and detachably fixing the angle bar 7 3, which`is L shaped in cross section, to, saidI standards by bolts 75 extending through the openings in the vertical flange of the cross bar'73 and openings 74 at different elevations on the standards 72.

In addition to the vertical adjustment of the rear end of the nozzle, means are provided for varying the outlet area'of the orin fice 71, with respect to its central and end portions.` The tendency of the fan or blower, if the orifice were made of the same area. throughout itsv length, would be to discharge a larger portion of the powder Athrough the central part of the orifice.' The adjustment referred to is effected by `means 4which depressv the top wall of the orice.

-It isbest shown in Figure 5, wherein such deformation of the orifice is. effected by a threaded stud 76 which extends through a cross bar 79 which extendsacross and over the `orifice end of the fan-shaped nozzle or distributor 35 and is fixed at its ends to the machine.- The stud 'is providedbelow the cross bar 79 with a lock nut 77 and above said bar with a lock nut 78. The lower end lof said stud may be flared to give larger area of pressure against the top wall ofthe nozzlel, and said stud may be surmounted by a head 7 9. The lower wall of thenozzle rests lormation of the orifice is effected by down rpressure on the upper wall thereof.

j chamber in whic it operates, are best illustrated in detail in Figures 8 to 11, inclusive, and are made. as foll'ows:

34 is such asto flat on the angle bar Rua/nd the total def- 83 'designates the Itubular spirals of the i feed scr-ew (designated as a whole in Figures 3 and 9 by31) which are rotative on an axis in a cylindric feed chamber formed in the part 30 before mentioned, and which ber is in open communication with the agitating chamber 26 through a slitted opening fil 4 the shaft and held in place by a cotter or like 82. The said spiral feed screw and its mounting is of peculiar construction. Th'ier structure which carries the spirals 83. 1s formed as part of a hollow casing 88 which is journaled on a fixed shaft 84 that lies axially'in tie. chamber 30. `Said shaft is rotationally fixed and centered in said chain-f ber by means of centering disks 85, 86, which are of diameters to fit closely in the ends of the feed cylinder, as best shown in Figures 8 and 9. The disc 85 is fixed to the shaft and both centering disks are fixed to the wall of the feed cylinder by means of set screws 87 threaded through openings in said wall and impinging on the peripheries of the disks.' One end of the screw or that which extends beyond the centering disk 86 is made polysided at 88 to fit "withina corresponding internal fashioned hub 89 of the sprocket wheel 52, whereby said spiral feed screw element'is rotated through the connection of the sprocket chain 50 with the countershaft 43. The saidsprocket wheel 52 is fastened on the polysided end 88 of the feed screw member by means of a washer\ 90 fitted over the adjacent reduced end of pin 91,-as best shown in Figures 8 and 9.

The feed spirals 83 of the feed screw are held from endwise displacement in the feed chamber 30. p

It will be observe-d by inspection of FiguresJ 8 and 9, that thefeed spirals 83 are formed on a solid body constituted by the spiral formation, and with the bases of the spirals extending entirely tothe supportingA sha-ft 84. Therefore, the spaces between the bases ofthe spirals are open for free contact of the powder with the shaft 84. Relative movement of the spirals, therefore, to the shaft 84, as by journaling the spiral structure on the fixed shaft 84, as herein shown and described, has two effects,-first, prinoipally to prevent clogging of the powder between the spirals inasmuchA as the bearings of the sharp edges of the bases of the spirals against the shaft self-cleans the shaft; and second, toconstitute means to further reduce the meshof the powder which-is being fed forwardly by the spirals.

Powders which are usually used as insecticides for boll weevil, such as calcium ar-` senate, compact or cake readily with any substantial water content. The construction 'of the conveyor lor feed spirals in combination with the shaft shown prevents compacting of the powder between the spirals, and this feed action has the effectto insure a predetermined amount of powder fed to the intake of the fan. This amount will be controlled by the field conditions and varying amounts of the powder can be spread over the cotton plants simplyby substituting gearing or conveyors having spiralsof different leads. Preferably, however, the

sults, it is understood that the invention is not limited in this latter aspect to the ratios mentioned.

The cylindric feed chamber 30 is always kept full of powder from the chamber or hopper 26 through the opening or slit 82 and the pressure on the feed is always the same, which is regulated by the speed of the agitators 28, 29. The weight of the powder or substance in the hopper 25 has little to do with the pressure of the powder or substance on the feed spirals,but the speed of the spiral feed element governs the amount of powderor substance delivered to theI fan. In other Words, what enters the mouth or receiving end of the feed cylinder must be `delivered at the discharge end inthe same quantity and with positive regularity.

In the operation of the machine, the powder to be distributedis placed in the hopl per 25, and from thence drops by gravity to' the agitating chamber 26 in which the agitator elements 28, 29 are mounted to reduce lumps in tfhe powder. powder of reduced mesh falls by gravity through the slitted opening 82 into the feed chamber 30 upon and around the feed spirals From thence the- 83 and the mounting shaft 84. As before stated, the said agitatinglements 28, 29, and the feed spirals are rotated at a given speed, although not necessarily the same.'

through their geared connections to the tractor wheel; and this speed of the agitating and feed elements is varied by the speed of travel ofthe machine over the ground, and by the gear ratio from the sprocket ring on the tractor wheel to the rotative crushing and feed elements. This gear ratio and the pitch of the feed spirals relatively to the diameter thereof, and to the inlet to and outlet fromthe feed cylinder, makes it possible to closely determine the amount of powder which will be fed to the fan for each advance lineal foot of travel of the machine, as a whole. The speed rof the fan may be regulated as best suited to the field conditions, the arca of the. fan inlet and outlets, and the area of/lhe sprayingnozzle. The construction of the fan with its blading, comprising a solid back plateand blades extending therefrom towards the inlet opening of the fan, has the effect to cause the powder to strike against the solidly, rapidly rotating back plate by an impact and radial crushing effect due to the high rotational speed of said plate which will further reduce its mesh, and the powderv is further reduced asit is carried outwardly by the blades to the outlet of the fan. It is desirist y able that the distance of the discharge freni the feed cylinder to the central intake of the fan be siiiiicieiitl'y great that the powder shall become iini't'ormlyfiiniXed with the air before it enters the. fan, with the two-fold efect,-liist, of preventing slugs of the powder eutei'iiig the fan and passing out as such; and second, by the. Adistribution of the powder well mixed with the air, effectuate the crushing of the powder particles by their impact against tlie'back plate and their subsequent ,contact with thel rapidly revolving blades. y

.It-is important in the combination disclosed, therefore, that the powder be constantly delivered in' measured quantities from the feed chamber to the fan, and the, nonclogging construction of the feed screw insures such uniform and non-lumpy feed by reason 'of the fact tliat the contact of the powder with tliesliaft. on which the feed spirals rotate. and ,the contact of the edges of'said spirals with raid shaft, which are in relative rotation, prevents clogging of the spiral feed screw and, therefore, insures discharging of the powder from the feed cliamber to the conduit of the fan in non-lumpy and uniform mesh. Vhile the shaft 84 on which the spirals of the feed screw rotate is herein shown as being fixed by the screws 87 and discs 85, 86, it is only necessary that there shall be a vrelative movement between said spirals and shaft, which can be attained by the fixed condition ofthe shaft, as herein shown, or by ia diHerential speed of the shaft and spirals in the same direction or shaft movement opposite to the feed spirals. All of these constructions serve to effectuate non-clogging of the feed screw and the delivery of the powder in uniform mesh or non-liimpy form to the conduit leading to the central intake of the fan.

The use-of the iiared or fan-shaped discharge nozzle 35 Iis important, because the powder is, delivered over a wide area, and

' by reason of the adjustment of the nozzle orifice, due to the adjusting screw 7 6 and its nuts 77 and 78, or other equivalent adjustment, the discharge of the powder through the nozzle may be uniformly thin, thus spreading the powder in 'uniform quantities over the full width of a given area toy be covered. Y. Thefiaring shape-of the nozzle also is important, inasmuch as,` all turns, angles, frictions and ebstriictionsa're thereby reduced to gradually change the powder and air body from a round to a flat stream, and thus preserve a smooth surface, Vand avgid drifts in the line of the 'discharging iio'r'g so that the powder is discharged from orifice at uniform velocity throughout, and, due .to its previous-treatment, as well as its commingling in the nozzle, a very perfect mixture of air and the powder is discharged on the plants. By

.tributed over vcept as to cl reason of the gradual change yfrom al round to a Hat stream in said nozzle', the mixture rotl air and powder is caused to take on, so

to speak, localized miniature Cyclonic inovements, so that the powder after it has been dischargedfrom the nozzle will reach every part of the plant, and find. lodgnicnt on fthe stalks, bra nches, and on upper and lower parts of the foliage.

flt will be obvious from what has been said, that the principles of, the machine disclosed enable the powder to be, economically dis- I a given 'arca with the full i'esiilt. intended of killing or checking the growth. of insects, siichas by effecting a great saving in the quantity Aof plowder used, and with the result also of reducing the danger of handling poisonous insecticides, destroying the fertility of the groundaiid destroying plant life.

Moreover, it willlve observed that in executing the plan herein disclosed a very siniple and economical machine can be produced, and one which `can be operated by unskilled labor.

While we have set forth the construction and operation of a practical embodiment of the invention,it is to be understood that the disclosure and description are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, and that, therefore, tl e ims where Aspecific details are set forth, vand as imposed by the prior art.

We claim as ,our invention:

1. A powder dusting machine comprising a frame and supporting and traction wheels therefor, a receptacle for powder on the frame, a fan having an intake provided with aninlet conduit and an outlet terminating in a distributing nozzle, a powder feed and measuring device to receive powder from said hopper and to deliver it by gravity into said conduit, driving connections between vla, traction wheel and the feed means, and a motor carried by said frame for separately driving said fan.

2. A powder dusting machine comprising a frame and its supporting and traction wheels, a self cleaning measured feed mechanism through which powder is passed, a fan having an intake and an outlet terminating in a spraying nozzle, a countershaft mounted onsaid frame and having driving connection to the measured feed mechanism, a driving connection between said countershaft and one of the traction wheels, and a motor carried by the frame for vseparately driving said fan.

3; A. powder dusting machine comprising a frame and its supporting and traction wheels, a self cleaning measured feed mecha` invention is not limited eX-l driving connection to the measured feed mechanism, a driving connection between said countershaf't land one of the traction wheels, a motor carried by the framel for separately driving said fan,l and a clutch for cutting olf powei"I between. said traction wheel and said 'countershaft LA powder dusting machine comprismg in combination a hopper, a feed chamber to receive powder from hopper, and itself provided with an outlet, a fan having an intake and an outlet terminating in a discharge nozzle, and a 'feed measuring device operating in said chamber embracing a fixed shaft, and a tubular, enteriorly spiraled conveyor journaled thereon and constructed to expose said shaft at the roots of the spirals with "means to rotate said conveyor, said spiral member carrying the powder to the outlet end of said chamber to allow it to'.

drop by gravity to al connection to the lintake yof the fan. 5. n a powder dusting machine .a discharge nozzle comprising a rounded connection for afan outlet, said nozzle Haring o utwardly to produce a fiattened nozzle having an elongated lflat orifice symmetrical with its rounded part, and means to vary the orificial arca of said orifice. j

6. In a powder dusting machine a discharge' nozzle comprising a rounded connection for a `fan outlet, said nozzle flaring outi wardly to produce a fiattened nozzle having an elongated fiat orifice symmetrical with 'its rounded part, and means to compress thewalls of the nozzle together at thc intermediate ends of the orifice. Y.

7. In combination with a blastrfan having an inlet and an outlet, lof a powder feed pend our signatures this 11th day of July, n

Louis ARROLL STUKENBORG. JAMES AHOLD COOPER.V 

